Agriculturally based industries including the food and beverage industry use equipment that must be cleaned frequently. Soils left behind from the production process generally consist of mineral deposits, organic complexes, proteins, starches, soils and associated stains. These soils and stains are generally cleaned with a highly alkaline cleaner composed of an alkalinity source, such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or sodium metasilicate, detergents, wetting agents, and possibly sodium hypochlorite. These alkaline cleaners are generally not effective at cleaning mineral deposits. Acidic cleaners are used to remove such mineral deposits and are generally composed of a blend of phosphoric acid and nitric acid, along with surfactants and detergents. These acidic cleaners are not very effective at cleaning organic complexes, proteins, starches, soils and associated stains. Thus, neither acidic nor alkaline cleaners are capable of effectively cleaning vessels which contain organic complexes, proteins, starches, soils and associated stains, as well as, mineral deposits.
Furthermore, such alkaline cleaners result in cation buildup which often results in harm to the environment such as osmotic pressure driving water out of root systems, leaf burning, plant stress, reduced water infiltration leading to increased runoff and erosion and reduced hydraulic conductivity. Thus, water management becomes difficult and expensive. Remediation is costly and continuous. In the end excess cation content can negatively affect the taste, yield and quality of a crop. This is especially damaging to industries, such as wineries, where such a result will be devastating to the business.
Thus, a cleaning composition that is effective at removing organic complexes, proteins, starches, soils and associated stains, as well as, mineral deposits is greatly needed in the agricultural, food and beverage industry.